Liam Payne has recalled the moment he winked at Cheryl during his 2008 X Factor audition, describing the cheeky gesture as his "licensed weapon".
The former One Direction singer, 28, claims he and the Girls Aloud singer, 38, have the "weirdest How I Met Your Mother story", during a podcast chat with Logan Paul.
Liam and his ex-girlfriend Cheryl - who share son Bear, 5, together - first crossed paths back in 2008, when the dad-of-one auditioned for The X Factor during Cheryl's tenure on the judging panel.
The former boyband member was just 14 when he belted out his rendition of Fly Me to the Moon in front of future beau Cheryl, Simon Cowell and Louis Walsh.
While singing the Frank Sinatra classic, Liam gave Fight for the Love singer Cheryl a little wink - something that delighted the Geordie judge.
"I like you, I think you're really cute. I think you've got charisma - you give us that little cheeky wink," Cheryl told a then-teenage Liam as the panel put him through to the next round.
Liam went on to join One Direction - with the five-piece boyband dominating the musical world prior to their hiatus 2015 - and eight years on from his original X Factor audition, begun a romance with Cheryl.
The pair went public with their romance in 2016, and went on to welcome their first child together the following year, but eventually split in May 2018.
During his recent controversial interview - where he angered some fans with his comments about Zayn Malik - Liam recalled the moment he first met the mother of his only child and his thinking behind the infamous "cheeky wink".
Speaking with YouTuber Logan on the Impaulsive podcast, Liam explained how he winked at the Girls Aloud singer in an attempt to "stand out" from other hopeful auditionees.
"It’s a licenced weapon please don’t try it. I went back to school the day after I winked at Cheryl in the audition and my friends are going ‘what do you think you’re doing winking at Cheryl Cole on TV?" Liam reminisced.
"Fast forward a few years and we ended up having a baby together."
Host Logan then pushed Liam to discuss whether he believes the cheeky wink played a part in their subsequent relationship, with the dad-of-one seemingly dodging answering the question explicitly with his reply.
"The wink, like I say, is a registered weapon. I have to check it in," Liam joked with the YouTube star.
"It’s the weirdest How I Met Your Mother Story . She was a judge on the show, I had a hole in my shoe at the time.
"It worked out great and she’s the best mum in the world, I couldn’t ask for someone better."
The Wolverhampton-born star went on to discuss his current day relationship with Cheryl and how they co-parent young Bear, claiming he is good pals with his one-time girlfriend.
Last month, it was reported that Liam had split with his on-off fiancée Maya Henry, 21, after photos emerged of the singer looking cosy with another woman.
The singer went public with his new girlfriend Aliana Mawla shortly after the pictures began to circulate social media.
Cheryl has not publicly dated anyone since her split from Liam.
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